Monday, July 24, 2006

We visited the Italian Forum Markets last Sunday, its much anticipated return appearance after a prolonged hiatus.

The Italian Forum is an ambitious attempt to create an Italian piazza atmosphere within inner-city Leichhardt, Sydney's own celebrated Little Italy. There's a huge square, a fountain, restaurants and cafes in the courtyard, and balconied apartments in lemon-yellow overhead.

The markets were a mix of foods, flowers, arts and crafts. There wasn't as much food as say, the Good Living Growers Markets, but it was a pleasant way to spend a Sunday morning, following the snaking alleys with apartments looming above, easily imagining crowded washing lines overhead and an Italian grandmother sweeping the courtyard.

Infinity Sourdough(based in Darlinghurst--I do have a soft spot for theirbuttery crumbly hazelnut-packed shortbread!)

Infinity Sourdough breads

Homemade jams and pickles

Organic free-range eggs

Smoked trout pate from Cowra Smokehouse

Wood ear mushrooms

Nameko mushrooms

Nameko apparently means "slimy cap" in Japanese, and with their distinctive wet texture and a taste reminiscent of cashews, these are the second-most popular cultivated mushroom in Japan (after shiitake).

I was a bit disappointed in the number of stalls! I was expecting alot more stalls and alot more food! But that didn't stop me in loading up on the nameko, chestnut and shitake mushrooms. I also managed to grab a bottle of semillion verjuice and dukkah/dip combo! MmmMmm yumm...

I was planning on going but was at the Forum the night before for a drink and ended up with a massive hangover so could only think of going to a greasy spoon, not gourmet markets! But it's good to hear they are interesting, especially with the mushrooms as I'm a mushroom addict, so I'll have to go next time they're on (weekly? monthly?).